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Sen. Padilla’s South Valley job fair returns Wednesday with over 100 employers
Albuquerque Job Corps members Ronnie Williams, center, and Juan Trujillo, second from right, both from the Mescalero Apache Reservation, collect job information during the 2023 Sen. Michael Padilla Job Fair at Harrison Middle School in the South Valley. The event is being held at Rio Grande High School on Wednesday.
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Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, will host his 13th job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at Rio Grande High School.
The annual event features over 100 employers and will offer more than 3,000 jobs, Padilla said. Available positions span experience and skill levels.
Padilla was elected to the Senate as the housing bubble burst ended in 2013, he said. At that time, he added, his district, 14, was “ground zero” for home foreclosure rates.
“So, what I thought was, ‘Why don’t I bring the employers to the unemployed, and bring stability to my district?’” he said.
Various oddities over the event’s tenure, like an Elvis impersonator and sheriff department helicopter sightings, have allowed the event to “take on a life of its own,” Padilla said. Previous years saw the event at Harrison Middle School, but due to construction, the fair will be hosted at Rio Grande.
Companies attending include the State of New Mexico, Albuquerque Public Schools, Dion’s, Jaynes Corp. and more. Each employer receives a table and chairs and can bring any displays they want, Padilla said. He encourages job seekers to wear their “Sunday best” and bring plenty of resumes, as some companies may interview and hire on the spot.
“There’s something for everybody at this job fair,” Padilla said. “If folks are really serious about looking for employment, they can find something for themselves here.”
In 2023, there were 2,400 jobs available at the job fair. The event continues to grow from its first year when there were 26 employers and 500 attendees.
Padilla estimates that about two-thirds of attendees come from his district, while the other third travel, some from up to hundreds of miles away, to pursue positions. He said he’s tracked more than 10,000 new hires over the event’s 12 years.
“I really hope that people will find a home for themselves in some sort of a role,” Padilla said. “And I hope that employers will see the value of these really great people.”
